Hillary Clinton's Blood Clot Could Have Been Life Threatening

Hillary Clinton's latest health update -- cerebral venous thrombosis -- is a rare and potentially "life-threatening" condition, according to medical experts, but one from which the globe-trotting secretary of state is likely to recover from.

In an update from her doctors, Clinton's brain scans revealed a clot had formed in the right transverse venous sinus, and she was being successfully treated with anticoagulants.

"She is lucky being Hillary Clinton and had a follow-up MRI -- lucky that her team thought to do it," said Dr. Brian D. Greenwald, medical director at JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Center for Head Injuries. "It could have potentially serious complications."

The backup of blood flow could have caused a stroke or hemorrhage, according to Greenwald.

"Imagine this vein, where all the cerebral spinal fluid inside the head and spine no longer flows through this area," he said. "You get a big back up and that itself could cause a stroke. In the long-term … the venous system can't get the blood out of the brain. It's like a Lincoln Tunnel back up."

A transverse sinus thrombosis is a clot arising in one of the major veins that drains the brain. It is an uncommon but serious disorder.

According to Greenwald, the clot was most likely caused by dehydration brought on by the flu, perhaps exacerbated by a concussion she recently suffered.

"The only time I have seen it happen is when people are severely dehydrated and it causes the blood to be so thick that it causes a clot in the area," said Greenwald. "It's one of the long-term effects of a viral illness."

Drs. Lisa Bardack of the Mt. Kisco Medical Group and Dr. Gigi El-Bayoumi of George Washington University discovered the clot during a routine follow-up MRI on Sunday.

"This is a clot in the vein that is situated in the space between the brain and the skull behind the right ear," they said in a statement today. "It did not result in a stroke, or neurological damage. To help dissolve this clot, her medical team began treating the secretary with blood thinners. She will be released once the medication dose has been established."

Clinton is "making excellent progress," according to her doctors. "She is in good spirits, engaging with her doctors, her family, and her staff."

Clinton, 65, was hospitalized at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Sunday. She suffered a concussion earlier this month after she hit her head when she fainted because of dehydration from a stomach virus, according to an aide.

Dehydration can also precipitate fainting, according to Dr. Neil Martin, head of neurovascular surgery at University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center.

He agreed that the condition could potentially have caused a brain hemorrhage or stroke and been fatal.

"In patients with no symptoms after many days, full recovery is the norm," said Martin. "However, some cases show extension of the thrombus or clot into other regions of the cerebral venous sinuses, and this can worsen the situation considerably -- thus the use of anticoagulants to prevent extension of the thrombus."

But, he said, anticoagulants can be a "double-edged sword." With even a tiny injury within the brain from the concussion, these medications can cause "symptomatic bleed," such as a subdural or intracerebral hemorrhage.

The clot location is not related to the nasal sinuses, but are rather large venous structures in the dura or protective membrane covering the brain, which drains blood from the brain.

Analysis: Fiscal Cliff Breach Makes Sense for Pols

Going over the "fiscal cliff" may seem irresponsible and self-destructive for the nation as a whole, but it's a politically logical, self-preserving step for many individual lawmakers.

They come from districts where ideological voters abhor tax hikes, or spending cuts, that any bipartisan compromise must include. Many of these voters detest compromise itself, telling elected officials to stick to partisan ideals or be gone.

That's why the fiscal cliff is just one in a continuing string of wrenching, demoralizing impasses on tax-and-spending showdowns, which threaten the nation's economic recovery.

A breach of the fiscal cliff's midnight deadline became inevitable late Monday when House leaders said they couldn't keep waiting for the Senate to send a bill their way. The House may reconvene in a day or two to vote on a White House-blessed deal to curtail the new package of tax hikes and spending cuts, which technically start with the new year. But it's painfully apparent that partisan warfare sent the government past a line that could alarm financial markets and further undermine faith in America's leaders, at home and abroad.

Meanwhile, the political realities that made a bigger solution impossible will not change any time soon. That raises red flags for upcoming fiscal clashes, especially the need to raise the government's borrowing limit in a few months to avoid defaulting on federal debt.

Congress' repeated struggles are less bewildering when viewed not from a national perspective but through the local lens of typical lawmakers, especially in the House.

For the scores of representatives from solidly conservative districts — or solidly liberal ones — the only realistic way to lose the next election is by losing a primary contest to a harder-core partisan from the same party. The notion of "being primaried" strikes more fear in many lawmakers' hearts than does the prospect of falling stock markets, pundits' outrage or a smudge on their national party's reputation.

"A lot of this is the consequence of reapportionment," said Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., explaining the difficulty in getting Republicans and Democrats to compromise. "The only vulnerability the majority of our members have now is being primaried."

The typical voter from a firmly conservative or firmly liberal district, Kingston said, "sends a strong message to their incumbent: Hold the line, on one side or the other."

That's the message GOP Rep. Marsha Blackburn heard when she held a recent "telephone town hall" with voters from her mostly-rural Tennessee district. She said 86 percent of them signaled they believe the nation's deficit should be addressed entirely by spending cuts, not tax hikes, even on the richest.

Blackburn was among the roughly four dozen House Republicans who forced Speaker John Boehner to withdraw his earlier bid to let tax rates rise only on incomes above $1 million, which would have been a better deal than Boehner, R-Ohio, can get now. She knows a thing or two about the clout of ideologically pure political groups, having won her first election to the House 10 years ago with help from the conservative Club for Growth.

The vast majority of congressional Republicans have vowed never to approve higher tax rates. It's no idle promise. Many of them preferred to let the fiscal cliff deadline pass, causing tax rates to rise on nearly all American workers, at least for a time. Then, presumably this week, they can vote to cut taxes for around 98 percent of Americans, rather than vote in December to raise rates on the richest 2 percent and avoid the cliff.

The impact on taxpayers may be about the same either way. But the technical difference matters to lawmakers who have delivered anti-tax speeches for years.

The cliff "is really a slope," said Kingston, one of many lawmakers who started playing down the long-term consequences of breaching the Dec. 31 deadline even before Monday's anticlimax.

"Most of us from conservative areas are hearing from back home. Our folks are saying if you can't do something about spending, then go over the cliff," Kingston said, because these voters want much deeper cuts in federal programs.

Republicans might pay a price for letting the fiscal cliff deadline pass, even for a day or two. It could embolden liberal Democrats to use their newly enhanced leverage to fend off spending cuts they oppose.

In a speech Monday afternoon, President Barack Obama seemed eager to reassure liberals that he wouldn't yield too much ground on social programs they value. "If Republicans think I will finish the job of deficit reduction through spending cuts alone," he said, "they've got another think coming."

Whatever the House and Senate agree to in the coming days, nothing is likely to change the underlying political motivations that have thwarted effort after effort to tame the government's deficit spending.

"The district I represent became a lot more conservative after redistricting," Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, said in an interview Sunday. It would be hard for him to vote to raise tax rates on anyone, no matter how rich, he said.

In a CNN interview Monday, Burgess said the dynamics that made the fiscal cliff so difficult will reappear in the debt ceiling debate and other approaching showdowns.

"I know people are tired of this story," he said, "but it's not really going away any time soon. There will be other reiterations that will play out literally through the first half of this year."

Are Middleton's Parents Cashing In?

Kate Middleton's parents are unveiling a new line of baby goods with a regal "little prince" and "princess" theme, prompting speculation that the Middletons are already cashing in on their unborn grandchild.

But profiting from the royal baby -- their first grandchild -- wouldn't be such a bad thing for Michael and Carole Middleton, founders of 25-year-old Party Pieces, a mail-order party supply company, Ian Drew, senior editor at US weekly magazine, said.

"They are a party company, OK?" he told ABC News. "They're based in England and that's what sells there. People are very into anything that's royalty or relates to the royal family. They can't be hindered by the fact that they're related to the royal family."


The line includes party plates and other paper products.

It's not the first time the Middletons have been accused of using their daughter's royal connections to sell products from Party Pieces and make a quick buck. While they make no direct mention or sell anything on their website that can be linked to the royals, the timing has raised eyebrows.

Will and Kate, both 30, announced the pregnancy a few weeks ago.

Party Pieces offered plenty of paraphernalia before the royal wedding in April 2011, and the company even cashed in this year on the queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

"This is England, these are very important historical events over there," Drew said. "It is the birth of the future heir to the throne; it is the jubilee; it is the royal wedding, but no matter who puts it out, whether it's the Middletons or your regular, average, run of the mill party planner, this is what people want to buy."

The public can still rest assured, that if grandma and grandpa Middleton do throw a little bash for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's bundle of joy, at least it would be a fitting one, complete with a royal theme.

World giving enthusiastic welcome to 2013

Lavish fireworks displays ushered in 2013 across the Asia-Pacific region on Tuesday, and Europe was holding scaled-back festivities and street parties in the hope of beginning a new year that will be kinder to its battered economies.

Asian cities kicked off New Year's celebrations in style and an atmosphere of renewed optimism, despite the "fiscal cliff" impasse of spending cuts and tax increases threatening to reverberate globally from the United States.

Huge fireworks lit up skylines in Sydney, Hong Kong and Shanghai, and even the once-isolated country of Myanmar joined the countdown party for the first time in decades.

Celebrations were planned around the world, including the traditional crystal ball drop in New York City's Times Square, where 1 million people were expected to cram into the surrounding streets.

In Russia, Moscow's iconic Red Square was filled with spectators as fireworks exploded near the Kremlin to welcome in the new year. Earlier in the day, about 25 people were reportedly arrested in Moscow for trying to hold an unsanctioned demonstration. But President Vladimir Putin gave an optimistic New Year's Eve address, making no reference to the anti-government protests that have occurred in his country in the past year.

"We believe that we can change the life around us and become better ourselves, that we can become more heedful, compassionate, gracious," Putin said, according to the ITAR-Tass news agency.

In Australia, a balmy summer night was split by 7 tons of fireworks fired from rooftops and barges in Sydney, many cascading from the city's Harbor Bridge, in a $6.9 million pyrotechnic extravaganza billed by organizers as the world's largest.

In Myanmar, after nearly five decades under military regimes that discouraged or banned big public gatherings, about 90,000 people experienced the country's first New Year's Eve countdown in a field in the largest city of Yangon.

"We feel like we are in a different world," said Yu Thawda, a university student who came with three of her friends.

Tens of thousands of people lined Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor to view a $1.6 million fireworks display, said to be the biggest ever in the southern Chinese city.

In North Korea, cannons boomed at midnight in Pyongyang as people crowded the streets of the capital to watch a fireworks show over the Taedong River. After being in mourning a year ago regarding leader Kim Jong Il's death, North Koreans celebrated the end of a big year that included the rise of new leader Kim Jong Un and the recent launch of a satellite into space.

Hotels, clubs and other sites in New Delhi, the Indian capital, canceled festivities after the death Saturday of a young rape victim touched off days of mourning and reflection about women's safety. People were asked to light candles to express their solidarity with the victim.

In Indonesia, Jakarta's street party centered on a 7-kilometer (4-mile) thoroughfare closed to traffic from nightfall until after midnight. Workers erected 16 large stages along the normally clogged, eight-lane highway through the heart of the city. Indonesia's booming economy is a rare bright spot amid global gloom and is bringing prosperity — or the hope of it — to its people.

In the Philippines, where many are recovering from devastation from a recent typhoon, health officials have hit upon a successful way to stop revelers from setting off huge illegal firecrackers that maim and injure hundreds of Filipinos each year.

A health official, Eric Tayag, donned the splashy outfit of South Korean star PSY and danced to his YouTube hit "Gangnam Style" video while preaching against the use of illegal firecrackers on TV, in schools and in public arenas.

"The campaign has become viral," Tayag said.

In austerity-hit Europe, the mood was more restrained — if hopeful. The year 2013 is projected to be a sixth straight one of recession amid Greece's worst economic crisis since World War II. In fact, the new year was starting with a 24-hour strike by subway and train workers in Athens to protest salary cuts that are part of the government's austerity measures.

Still, in his televised New Year's Eve message, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras promised Greeks that the worst of the crisis is past, and declared 2013 a "year of hope" that will see the beginning of the country's rebirth.

Celebrating New Year's Eve with a vespers service in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Benedict XVI said that despite all the injustice in the world, goodness prevails. In his homily, Benedict said it's tough to remember that goodness can win when bad news — death, violence and injustice — "makes more noise than good." He said taking time to meditate in prolonged reflection and prayer can help "find healing from the inevitable wounds of daily life."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's New Year's message warned her country to prepare for difficult economic times ahead. Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, decided to cancel celebrations in light of the economic crisis. Nicosia said 16,000 euros ($21,000) saved from the canceled event will be given to some 320 needy schoolchildren.

In Spain, where a recession has left unemployment at a staggering 25 percent, people are hoping for a better new year.

"It's been tough, but some celebrations are too deeply-ingrained to let go," said Olga Camino, 25. She said she would be celebrating in the streets of Madrid in fancy dress with a large group of friends. Camino said they would all eat 12 grapes as the clock in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol struck midnight, a tradition observed throughout Spain.

Scotland's Edinburgh, which traditionally hosts one of the biggest New Year's Eve parties in Europe, also planned good cheer. Festivities for the three-day Hogmanay —or year-end — celebrations began Sunday with a torchlight procession in the Scottish capital, and organizers said about 75,000 people are expected to line the streets for Tuesday's fireworks.

___

McGuirk reported from Sydney. Associated Press writers Aye Aye Win in Yangon, Myanmar; Jean Lee in Pyongyang, North Korea; Chris Brummitt in Jakarta, Indonesia; Kelvin Chan in Hong Kong; Ashok Sharma in New Delhi; Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines; Nicholas Paphitis in Athens; Raphael Satter in London; Harold Heckle in Madrid, Spain; and Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia, Cyprus, contributed to this report.

Kim Kardashian: Kanye West & I Are 'So Blessed And Lucky' To Be Expecting

Kim Kardashian is a beaming mother-to-be!

The reality star took to her website expressing her joy about her pregnancy with Kanye West's baby.

PLAY IT NOW: Kim Kardashian Delivers A New Look & Scent

"It's true!! Kanye and I are expecting a baby," the reality star, 32, wrote on Monday.

"We feel so blessed and lucky and wish that in addition to both of our families, his mom and my dad could be here to celebrate this special time with us," she continued. "Looking forward to great new beginnings in 2013 and to starting a family. Happy New Year!!! Xo"

As previously reported on Access Hollywood.com, the rapper, 35, announced the news during a concert on Sunday night at Revel Resort's Ovation Hall telling the crowd of 5,000 fans, "and now she's having my baby," in the middle of his song "Runaway."

Kim's mom, Kris Jenner, Tweeted, "Oh BABY BABY BABY!!" while sister Kourtney wrote, "Been wanting to shout from the rooftops with joy and now I can! Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!"

Sister Khloe Tweeted, "Keeping secrets is hard with so many family members! Especially when you are so freaking excited!!!!! LOVE is everything!!!!"

Khloe's husband, Lamar Odom, wrote "I'm excited for Kanye and my sister! There's nothing like bringing life into this world! Let's keep Gods blessings coming!"

Kim and Kanye took their relationship public in March.

The reality star ended her relationship with NBA player Kris Humphries in October 201 after just 72 days of being married. The former couple, who wed in August 2011, have yet to finalize their divorce.

21 missing Pakistani policemen found shot dead

Twenty-one tribal policemen believed to have been kidnapped by the Taliban were found shot dead in Pakistan's troubled northwest tribal region early Sunday, government officials said.

Officials found the bodies shortly after midnight in the Jabai area of Frontier Region Peshawar after being notified by one policeman who escaped, said Naveed Akbar Khan, a top political official in the area. Another policeman was found seriously wounded, said Khan.

The 23 policemen went missing before dawn Thursday when militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons attacked two posts in Frontier Region Peshawar. Two policemen were also killed in the attacks.

Militants lined the policemen up on a cricket pitch late Saturday night and gunned them down, said another local official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion fell on the Pakistani Taliban, who have been waging a bloody insurgency against the government for the past few years. The tribal region is the main sanctuary for the Taliban in Pakistan.

On Saturday, an explosion ripped through a passenger bus at a terminal in the southern city of Karachi, killing six people and wounding 52 others, some of whom were in critical condition, said Seemi Jamali, a doctor at the hospital where the victims were being treated.

Police were trying to determine whether the blast, which reduced the bus to a charred skeleton, was caused by a bomb or a gas canister that exploded, said police spokesman Imran Shaukat. Many buses in Pakistan run on natural gas.

Karachi has a long history of political, ethnic and sectarian violence. It is also believed to be home to many Taliban militants who have fled U.S. drone attacks and Pakistani army operations in the country's northwest.

21 Policemen Found Fatally Shot in Pakistan by Suspected Taliban Militants

 Twenty-one tribal policemen believed to have been kidnapped by the Taliban were found shot dead in Pakistan’s troubled northwest tribal region early Sunday, government officials said.
Officials found the bodies shortly after midnight in the Jabai area of Frontier Region Peshawar after being notified by one policeman who escaped, said Naveed Akbar Khan, a top political official in the area. Another policeman was found seriously wounded, said Khan.
The 23 policemen went missing before dawn Thursday when militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons attacked two posts in Frontier Region Peshawar. Two policemen were also killed in the attacks.
Militants lined the policemen up on a cricket pitch late Saturday night and gunned them down after tying their hands with rope, said another local official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“We found 21 bullet riddled bodies of security personnel a short while ago in an uninhabited area,” local government official Naveed Akbar Khan added for the Agence France-Presse, Al Jazeera

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion fell on the Pakistani Taliban, who have been waging a bloody insurgency against the government for the past few years. The tribal region is the main sanctuary for the Taliban in Pakistan.
On Saturday, an explosion ripped through a passenger bus at a terminal in the southern city of Karachi, killing six people and wounding 52 others, some of whom were in critical condition, said Seemi Jamali, a doctor at the hospital where the victims were being treated.
Police were trying to determine whether the blast, which reduced the bus to a charred skeleton, was caused by a bomb or a gas canister that exploded, said police spokesman Imran Shaukat. Many buses in Pakistan run on natural gas.
Karachi has a long history of political, ethnic and sectarian violence. It is also believed to be home to many Taliban militants who have fled U.S. drone attacks and Pakistani army operations in the country’s northwest.

Kim Kardashian: I'm "So Blessed and Lucky" to Be Pregnant With Kanye West's Baby

Going into 2013, Kim Kardashian is counting her blessings.

Just hours after her boyfriend of nine months Kanye West confirmed the couple will give birth to their first child in the new year, the pregnant Kourtney & Kim Take Miami star took to her blog to gush about their happy news.

"It's true!! Kanye and I are expecting a baby. We feel so blessed and lucky and wish that in addition to both of our families, his mom and my dad could be here to celebrate this special time with us," Kardashian, 32, wrote on her Celebuzz blog early Dec. 31, referring to her late father Robert Kardashian, Sr. -- who died of esophageal cancer in 2003 -- and West's mother, Donda, who passed away four years later.

"Looking forward to great new beginnings in 2013 and to starting a family. Happy New Year!!! Xo" Kardashian blogged.

West confirmed the couple's pregnancy during a Sunday night concert in Atlantic City. The "Heard Em' Say" rapper, 35, told the crowd to "stop the music and make noise for my baby mama," referring to his girlfriend, who was in the audience.

Shortly after West's big announcement, his girlfriend's family took to Twitter to express their joy.

Tweeted Khloe Kardashian-Odom, "Keeping secrets is hard with so many family members! Especially when you are so freaking excited! Love is everything!"

Added Kardashian's mother, Kris Jenner: "I am a happy girl! Wowza! Oh BABY BABY BABY!!"

Prosecutors: Woman accused in NYC subway death thought pushing man onto tracks 'would be cool'

A woman accused of pushing an Indian-born man to his death in front of a New York City subway train told police she did it because she blamed Muslims for the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and because "I thought it would be cool," prosecutors said at a court hearing.

Erika Menendez, 31, laughed so hard during her arraignment in criminal court Saturday night that Judge Gia Morris told her lawyer, "You're going to have to have your client stop laughing."

Menendez was charged with murder as a hate crime after she told police she spontaneously pushed Sunando Sen.

Defence attorney Dietrich Epperson said Menendez's behaviour in court was no different from how she had been acting when he spoke to her privately, and he said his client didn't really think the proceedings were funny.

Menendez was held without bail and ordered to have a mental health exam. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 14.

Prosecutors said Menendez pushed the 46-year-old Sen to his death Thursday night because she blamed "Muslims, Hindus and Egyptians" for the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.

"I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims — ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers I've been beating them up," Menendez told police, according to the Queens district attorney's office.

Friends and co-workers said Sen, a native of Calcutta, was Hindu. He had lived in New York for decades and was a graphic designer and copy shop owner. Sen was standing on an elevated train platform when he was shoved from behind as the train entered the station.

Witnesses told police a woman had been mumbling to herself and was sitting on a bench behind Sen until the train pulled in, then shoved him and fled.

Police released a sketch and surveillance footage of a woman running from the subway station. Menendez was arrested after a passer-by thought she looked like the wanted suspect. Witnesses identified her in a lineup and she was questioned by police, when she implicated herself, according to police and prosecutors.

According to the district attorney's office, Menendez said, "There is no reason. I just pushed him in front of the train because I thought it would be cool."

Sen was the second man to die after being pushed in front of a New York City subway train this month. Ki-Suck Han was killed in a subway station on Dec. 3. A homeless man was arrested and charged with murder in that case and is awaiting trial. He claimed he acted in self-defence.

Such subway deaths are rare, but transit officials said last week they would consider installing barriers with sliding doors on some subway platforms. Other cities including Paris and London have installed such barriers.

Angel Luis Santiago, who used to work at the building where Menendez's mother and stepfather live, said he was shocked by her arrest.

"It surprised me what she did," he said. "She never acted that way."

New Year's Eve celebrations around the world

1. Revellers write the number 2013 using sparklers during the Hogmanay (New Year) street party celebrations in Edinburgh, Scotland December 31, 2012. REUTERS/David Moir (BRITAIN - Tags: ANNIVERSARY SOCIETY)

2. Revellers pose for photographers during the Hogmanay (New Year) street party celebrations in Edinburgh, Scotland December 31, 2012. REUTERS/David Moir (BRITAIN - Tags: ANNIVERSARY SOCIETY)

3. Fireworks explode over St. Basil Cathedral at Red Square during New Year's Day celebrations in Moscow January 1, 2013. REUTERS/Mikhail Voskresensky (RUSSIA - Tags: ANNIVERSARY SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

4. Revellers kiss as they celebrate ahead of New Year's Day in Red Square in Moscow December 31, 2012. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva (RUSSIA - Tags: ANNIVERSARY SOCIETY)

5. Fireworks explode from Taiwan's tallest skyscraper, the Taipei 101 during New Year celebrations in Taipei January 1, 2013. REUTERS/Pichi Chuang (TAIWAN - Tags: ANNIVERSARY)

6. Fireworks explode from Taiwan's tallest skyscraper, the Taipei 101 during New Year celebrations in Taipei January 1, 2013

Fireworks explode from Taiwan's tallest skyscraper, the Taipei 101 during New Year celebrations in Taipei January 1, 2013.

Fireworks explode over St. Basil Cathedral at Red Square during New Year's Day celebrations in Moscow January 1, 2013

Revellers write the number 2013 using sparklers during the Hogmanay (New Year) street party celebrations in Edinburgh, Scotland December 31, 2012

In Indian student's gang rape, murder, two worlds collide

One of hundreds of attacks reported in New Delhi each year, the gang rape and murder of a medical student caught Indian authorities and political parties flat-footed, slow to see that the assault on a private bus had come to symbolize an epidemic of crime against women.

In the moments before the December 16 attack, the 23-year-old woman from India's urban middle class, who had recently qualified as a trainee physiotherapist in a private Delhi hospital, and her male friend, a software engineer, were walking home from a cinema at a shopping mall in south Delhi, according to a police reconstruction of events.

A bus, part of a fleet of privately owned vehicles used as public transport across the city of 16 million, and known as India's "rape capital", was at the same time heading toward them. Earlier that day, it had ferried school students but was now empty except for five men and a teenage boy, including its crew, police said. Most of the men were from the city's slums.

One of the six - all now charged with murder - lured the couple onto the bus, promising to drop the woman home, police have said, quoting from an initial statement that she gave from her hospital bed before her condition deteriorated rapidly.

A few minutes into the ride, her friend, 28, grew suspicious when the bus deviated from the supposed route and the men locked the door, according to her statement. They then taunted her for being out with a man late at night, prompting the friend to intervene and provoking an initial scuffle.

The attackers then beat him with a metal rod, knocking him unconscious, before turning on the woman who had tried to come to his defense. Police say the men admitted after their arrest to torturing and raping the student "to teach her a lesson".

At one point, the bus driver gave the wheel to another of the accused and dragged the woman by the neck to the back of the vehicle and forced himself upon her. The other five then took turns raping her and also driving the bus, keeping it circling through the busy streets of India's capital city, police said.

The woman was raped for nearly an hour before the men pushed a metal rod inside her, severely damaging her internal organs, and then dumped both her and her friend on the roadside, 8 km (5 miles) from where they had boarded it, police said.

Robbed of their clothes and belongings, they were found half naked, bleeding and unconscious later that night by a passerby, who alerted the police.

Last year, a rape was reported on average every 20 minutes in India. Just 26 percent of the cases resulted in convictions, according to the National Crime Records Bureau, which registered 24,206 rapes in 2011, up from 22,141 the previous year.

At first, authorities treated the assault on the medical student as one crime among many, and they were not prepared for the furious public reaction that led to running battles between protesters and police near the heart of government in New Delhi.

FAMILY ROLE MODEL

The woman, whose identity has been withheld by police, gave her statement to a sub-divisional magistrate on December 21 in the intensive care unit of Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital, according to media reports. She was undergoing multiple surgical procedures and her condition later began to rapidly worsen.

Ten days after the attack and still in a critical condition, she was flown to Singapore for specialist treatment. She died in Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital two days later. Her body was flown back to Delhi and cremated there on Sunday in a private ceremony.

Family members who had accompanied her to Singapore declined to speak to reporters, but relatives told the Times of India newspaper she had been a role model to her two younger brothers.

Unlike most traditional Indian families who only send their sons to fee-paying colleges or universities, her parents pinned their hopes on the daughter and took loans to fund her studies.

She was born and brought up in a middle class Delhi neighborhood after her family moved to the city more than 20 years ago from the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Her male friend recorded his statement to a court days after the attack and helped police identify the six accused. He left for his hometown in Uttar Pradesh late on Saturday, missing the woman's funeral, media reported.

SHAME, ANGER IN SLUM

Four of the accused, all in custody, live in the narrow by-lanes of Ravi Das Camp, a slum about 17 km (11 miles) from the woman's home in southwest Delhi. Inside the slum - home to some 1,200 people who eke out a meager living as rickshaw pullers and tea hawkers - many demanded the death penalty for the accused.

"The incident has really shocked all of us. I don't know how I will get my children admitted to a school. The incident has earned a bad name to this place," said Pooja Kumari, a neighbor of one of the accused.

Girija Shankar, a student, said: "Our heads hang in shame because of the brutal act of these men. They must reap what they have sown."

The house of one of the accused was locked, with neighbors saying his family had left the city to escape the shame and anger. Meena, a 45-year-old neighbor, said she had wanted to join the protests that followed the rape, but was too scared.

"You never know when a mob may attack this slum and attack our houses. But we want to say we're as angry as the entire nation. We want them to be hanged," she said.

Two of the six alleged assailants come from outside Delhi, according to police. One is married with children and was arrested in his native village in Bihar state and the other, a juvenile, is a runaway from a broken home in Uttar Pradesh.

In India, murder is punishable by death by hanging, except in the case of offenders aged below 18.

(Additional reporting by Suchitra Mohanty and Nita Bhalla; Editing by Mark Bendeich and Ian Geoghegan)




Explore Related Content
1 - 4 of 20


Play Video

Anti rape protests continue

Reuters Videos


Anti rape protests continue


Indian police charge 6 men with murder …

NEW DELHI - Indian police have charged six men with murder, adding to accusations that they beat and … Full Story »Indian police charge 6 men with murder in gang-rape case after victim dies in hospital

Associated Press
Play Video

Protesters demand justice over Delhi …

Reuters Videos



All Comments


Leave a comment... Comment Guidelines




Post As


2,205 comments
Popular Now
Newest
Oldest
Most Replied




685users liked this commentPlease sign in to rate a Thumb UpPlease sign in to rate a Thumb Down4users disliked this comment Lucky Two • 16 hrs ago
reads...: A bus, part of a fleet of privately owned vehicles.... they were lured... sounds like premeditated rape and murder... they should check all the buses of this private owner for blood. 66 Replies





2users liked this commentPlease sign in to rate a Thumb UpPlease sign in to rate a Thumb Down0users disliked this comment TIM 29 mins ago
The Bear said it; finally. I can't believe no one else mentioned how concealed carry might have turned this situation.


More
Reply





735users liked this commentPlease sign in to rate a Thumb UpPlease sign in to rate a Thumb Down7users disliked this comment Levi • 16 hrs ago
a broken home is no excuse for a teenager mature enough to rape a young lady and aid in the other crimes. 35 Replies




451users liked this commentPlease sign in to rate a Thumb UpPlease sign in to rate a Thumb Down5users disliked this comment James • 10 hrs ago
It's not really highlighted in the article other than the title, but the REAL collision is between an aspiring nation and its outdated, uncaring, often corrupt govt. institutions and bureaucracy. 25 Replies




383users liked this commentPlease sign in to rate a Thumb UpPlease sign in to rate a Thumb Down4users disliked this comment Ken Roy • 15 hrs ago
Whatever it maybe, it is a shame that a crimes like these have been allowed to continue with impunity for so long... The public is now rising in anger and disgust over the system... 8 Replies




456users liked this commentPlease sign in to rate a Thumb UpPlease sign in to rate a Thumb Down7users disliked this comment M • 11 hrs ago
Now teach them a lesson, off with their heads. 23 Replies




299users liked this commentPlease sign in to rate a Thumb UpPlease sign in to rate a Thumb Down3users disliked this comment Wake Up Call • 14 hrs ago
Sickening... 6 Replies




438users liked this commentPlease sign in to rate a Thumb UpPlease sign in to rate a Thumb Down9users disliked this comment Harold • 11 hrs ago
It's obvious that the people of India have to protest in mass to get their govt. to make any changes that benefit the citizens. Unfortunately the same goes for here. 12 Replies




552users liked this commentPlease sign in to rate a Thumb UpPlease sign in to rate a Thumb Down15users disliked this comment Elizabeth • 10 hrs ago
What is really chilling is the thought that stuff like this CAN and DOES happen here. The horror that young woman lived through is just mind numbing. I don't think India's government will be able to "ignore" this now nor do I think the people of India will tolerate it any longer. Now, what about... More 53 Replies




78users liked this commentPlease sign in to rate a Thumb UpPlease sign in to rate a Thumb Down0users disliked this comment Ipso • 8 hrs ago
If you want to get serious about cleaning up a society follow the lead of Singapore: you commit rape or murder and you're dead in two days. 6 Replies




355users liked this commentPlease sign in to rate a Thumb UpPlease sign in to rate a Thumb Down13users disliked this comment Jack • 15 hrs ago
"In Indian student's gang rape, murder, two worlds collide" -
sorry, what are the two worlds and what is causing the collision? A collision would occur between two worlds if there are two conflicting pespectives on what happened - I dont' see it here - unless it is the tendency of the indian... More 43 Replies
More
Post a comment



More Politics News

Obama wants gun violence measures passed in 2013 AP - Sun, Dec 30, 2012
Reid says 2 sides still apart on 'fiscal cliff' AP - 7 hrs ago
Roberts urges full financial support for the court AP - 1 hr 5 mins ago
Details of tentative deal averting 'fiscal cliff' AP - 6 mins ago
Rebel groups hit with U.N. sanctions over eastern Congo Reuters - 12 mins ago
Report details changes in Benghazi explanations AP - 14 mins ago
Israeli held for sneaking into Egypt Reuters - 15 mins ago


You on Yahoo! News
Yer As
You are logged in to Facebook
Your Activity
|
Social: ON
|
Options

News for You

Kim Kardashian: Kanye West & I Are 'So Blessed And Lucky' To Be Expecting
Kim Kardashian pregnant with Kanye's baby
Did Obama Just Make an Assassination Reference?
With Hillary in Hospital, Conservatives Backtrack on Fake-Concussion Meme
In the Hospital with a Blood Clot, Hillary Clinton Is Not In Good Health
ESPN's Hannah Storm returns 3 weeks after accident
Rachel Maddow's Surge Is Fox News' Worst Ratings Nightmare
Why Americans will really, really hate Congress in 2013


AdChoices





2 hrs 21 mins ago
Doctors: Clinton making ‘excellent progress’ in treatment for blood clot
1 day 4 hrs ago
GOP Senate leader urges Biden to break ‘fiscal cliff’ impasse
3 days ago
No deal announced following White House ‘fiscal cliff’ meeting
3 days ago
Kerry, Democrats support Rep. Markey as Senate successor in Massachusetts
More Express Ticket »

Today on Yahoo!
1 - 8 of 48



Most Popular

Clinton admitted to hospital with blood clot
Obama wants gun violence measures passed in 2013
Mom's 18-Point iPhone Rules for Son
Obama boasts support of American people in ‘fiscal cliff’ fight
AP Sources: 'Fiscal cliff' deal emerging
Senate adjourns to Monday, eve of ‘fiscal cliff’

Follow Yahoo! News



Top Stories on Facebook

Are you on Facebook? Join our page for top stories! More »www.facebook.com


Follow @ Yahoo! News on Twitter

The official account of Yahoo! News. 100% feed-free tweets by news fans for news fans! More »twitter.com










Yahoo! News

Home
U.S.
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Tech
Politics
Science
Health
Blogs
Local
Popular
All Yahoo! News »




Also On Yahoo!

Autos
Finance
Games
Groups
Health
Maps
Movies
Music
omg!
Shine
Shopping
Sports
Travel
TV
Y! News RSS
Y! News Alert
All Yahoo! »


Trending Now

21 policemen shot
Kim Kardashian pregnant
Lanza's body claimed
NFL coaches fired
Teen Mom 2 divorce
Adam Lambert slams Les Miserables
Tony Romo
Hannah Storm returns
Comet coming in 2013
Stocks


(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp

Copyright © 2013 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. | Yahoo! - ABC News Network |
Help / Suggestions
Privacy Policy
About Our Ads
Terms of Service
Copyright/IP Policy

Chavez suffers new complications in cancer fight

President Hugo Chavez's new complications after cancer surgery prompted his closest allies to call for Venezuelans to pray for him on Monday, presenting an increasingly bleak outlook and prompting growing speculation about whether the ailing leader has much longer to live.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro looked weary and spoke with a solemn expression as he announced in a televised address from Havana on Sunday that Chavez now confronts "new complications" due to a respiratory infection nearly three weeks after his operation. He described Chavez's condition as delicate.

The streets of Caracas were abuzz on Monday with talk of Chavez's increasingly tough fight, while the news topped the front pages of the country's newspapers.

"He's history now," said Cesar Amaro, a street vendor selling newspapers and snacks at a kiosk in downtown Caracas. He motioned to a daily on the rack showing side-by-side photos of Maduro and National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, and said politics will now turn to them.

Amaro said he expects a new election soon to replace Chavez. "For an illness like the one the president has, his days are numbered now," he said matter-of-factly.

A government-organized New Year's Eve concert had been planned in a downtown Caracas plaza featuring popular Venezuelan bands, but was canceled due to Chavez's condition.

About 300 people filled a Caracas church for a Mass in the afternoon to pray for Chavez.

"This country would be terrible without Chavez. He's the president of the poor," said Josefa Carvajal, a 75-year-old former maid who sat in the pews. "They say the president is very sick. I believe he's going to get better."

The president's aides also sang and prayed at a Mass at the presidential palace, while government officials urged Venezuelans to keep their president in their prayers.

Political analyst Ricardo Sucre said the outlook for Chavez appears grim, saying Maduro's body language during his televised appearance spoke volumes.

"Everything suggests Chavez's health situation hasn't evolved as hoped," Sucre said. He said Maduro likely remained in Havana to keep close watch on how Chavez's condition develops.

"These hours should be key to having a more definitive prognosis of Chavez's health, and as a consequence make the corresponding political decisions according to the constitution," Sucre said.

Sucre and other Venezuelans said it seems increasingly unlikely that Chavez would be able to be sworn in as scheduled on Jan. 10.

The Venezuelan leader has not been seen or heard from since undergoing his fourth cancer-related surgery Dec. 11, and government officials have said he might not return in time for his inauguration for a new six-year term.

If Chavez dies or is unable to continue in office, the Venezuelan Constitution says that a new election should be held within 30 days.

Before his operation, Chavez acknowledged he faced risks and designated Maduro as his successor, telling supporters they should vote for the vice president if a new presidential election were necessary.

Chavez said at the time that his cancer had come back despite previous surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He has been fighting an undisclosed type of pelvic cancer since June 2011.

Maduro said on Sunday that he had met with Chavez. "We greeted each other and he himself referred to these complications," Maduro said, reading from a prepared statement.

"The president gave us precise instructions so that, after finishing the visit, we would tell the (Venezuelan) people about his current health condition," Maduro said. "President Chavez's state of health continues to be delicate, with complications that are being attended to, in a process not without risks."

Maduro was seated alongside Chavez's eldest daughter, Rosa, and son-in-law Jorge Arreaza, as well as Attorney General Cilia Flores. He held up a copy of a newspaper confirming that his message was recorded on Sunday.

"Thanks to his physical and spiritual strength, Comandante Chavez is facing this difficult situation," Maduro said.

Maduro said he had met various times with Chavez's medical team and relatives. He said he would remain in Havana "for the coming hours" but didn't specify how long.

Maduro, who arrived in Havana on Saturday for the sudden and unexpected trip, is the highest-ranking Venezuelan official to see Chavez since the surgery in Cuba, where the president's mentor Fidel Castro has reportedly made regular visits to check on him.

Before flying to Cuba, Maduro said that Energy Minister Hector Navarro would be in charge of government affairs in the meantime.

"The situation does not look good. The fact that Maduro himself would go to Cuba, leaving Hector Navarro in charge only seems understandable if Chavez's health is precarious," said David Smilde, a University of Georgia sociologist and analyst for the Washington Office on Latin America think tank.

Smilde said that Maduro probably made the trip "to be able to talk to Chavez himself and perhaps to talk to the Castros and other Cuban advisers about how to navigate the possibility of Chavez not being able to be sworn in on Jan. 10."

"Mentioning twice in his nationally televised speech that Chavez has suffered new complications only reinforces the appearance that the situation is serious," Smilde said.

Medical experts say that it's common for patients who have undergone major surgeries to suffer respiratory infections and that how a patient fares can vary widely from a quick recovery in a couple of days to a fight for life on a respirator.

Maduro's latest update differed markedly from a week ago, when he had said he received a phone call from the president and that Chavez was up and walking.

The vice president spoke on Sunday below a picture of 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar, the inspiration of Chavez's leftist Bolivarian Revolution movement.

Maduro said that Chavez had sent year-end greetings to his homeland and a "warm hug to the boys and girls of Venezuela."

The vice president expressed faith that Chavez would "successfully fight this new battle." He concluded his message saying: "Long live Chavez."

On the streets of Caracas, images of Chavez smiling and saluting are emblazoned on campaign signs and murals. One newly painted mural reads: "Be strong, Chavez."

State television played video of Chavez campaigning for re-election, including a speech when he shouted: "I am a nation!"

A new government sign atop a high-rise apartment complex reads: "YOU ALSO ARE CHAVEZ."

Chavez has been in office since 1999 and was re-elected in October, three months after he had announced that his latest tests showed he was cancer-free.

Opposition politicians have criticized a lack of detailed information about Chavez's condition, and last week repeated their demands for a full medical report.

Information Minister Ernesto Villegas defended the government's handling of the situation, saying during a televised panel discussion on Sunday night that Chavez "has told the truth in his worst moments" throughout his presidency.

He also referred to a new surge of rumors about Chavez's condition and called for respect for the president and his family.

Chavez's daughter Maria, who has been with the president since his surgery, said in a message on her Twitter account: "Thank you people of Venezuela. Thank you people of the world. You and your love have always been our greatest strength! God is with us! We love you!"

Allies of the president also responded on Twitter, repeating the phrase: "Chavez lives and will triumph."

New Year, New Headache? Hangover Cures and Myths

After the Times Square ball drops on New Year's Eve and copious amounts of Champagne get toasted and drunk, many might find themselves forgetting more "auld acquaintances" than they intended and waking up to 2013 with a vicious hangover.


A hangover is essentially a build-up of acetaldehyde, a toxin in the liver. When one overdoes it on the booze, the liver can't produce enough glutathione, a compound that contains the amino acid L-cysteine, to combat it. Cysteine breaks down acetaldehyde into water and carbon dioxide, which is then flushed out of the body as urine.

While nothing has been shown scientifically to "cure" a hangover, Dr. Richard Besser, ABC News' chief medical editor, offered these tips to help nurse the pain:

• Drink plenty of water. Alcohol is quite dehydrating.

• If you have a headache, take aspirin or ibuprofen the next morning, not acetaminophen (Tylenol). Acetaminophen is processed by your liver that has just taken a hit from your overdrinking.

• Go to bed. Most hangovers are over after eight to 24 hours but before you do …

• Pull out your smartphone and record a video message to yourself. Tell yourself how lousy you feel and repeat this phrase: "I won't overdrink again, I won't overdrink again, I won't overdrink again."

Other suggestions from our past contributors include how to avoid a hangover while still slugging back the brewskies, and what to do if the hangover arrives anyway:


While You're Boozing:

1. Sip Slowly


If you drink your alcohol slowly instead of guzzling it down, doctors say it helps give the stomach a fighting chance to absorb the toxins so your body isn't assaulted with booze.

2. Eat Fatty Foods


Food products with a lot of fat in them, such as chips, can help slow down the absorption of alcohol.

3. Avoid Carbonated Drinks


Doctors say carbonation can increase the absorption of alcohol, so put down the rum and Coke.

The Morning After - Happy Hangover:


1. Sleep, Sleep, Sleep

Time will heal all wounds.

2. Flush Your System

When you are dehydrated, your body is depleted of potassium and sodium, which is why you have that achy "hit by a dump truck" feeling the next morning.

Doctors say try to replenish your body with lots of fluids. Drink water or drinks that are heavy in electrolytes, such as sports drinks or coconut water.

3. Be Leery of Caffeine

Caffeine, like alcohol, is a diuretic, which can further dehydrate your body after drinking, making the headache much worse, so doctors recommend extra water if you're going to reach for a cup of coffee, tea or an energy drink.

But people who regularly drink minimal amounts of caffeine might find it helps soothe their headache. While the causes of a hangover aren't completely understood, a leading theory for the pounding headache is that alcohol dilates blood vessels in the brain and caffeine constricts the blood vessels, which might bring relief to some people.

4. Avoid the 'Hair of the Dog'

While that Bloody Mary or extra pint of beer with breakfast the next morning sounds like a rallying move, doctors say more alcohol means more dehydration, meaning more hangover hurting. Even if you don't feel the pain now, you will later.

5. Have a Snack

According to the Mayo Clinic, bland foods, such as toast and crackers, can help boost blood sugar and settle your stomach. Eating chicken noodle or bouillon soups, which are loaded with sodium and potassium, can help make you feel better.

Foods and drinks that contain fructose, such as honey, apples, berries or fruit juice, as well as vitamin C and B can also help burn off alcohol.

Final Thoughts: Not to be a buzz kill, but the bottom line is that the best way to to avoid a hangover is to stay away from the booze. Entirely.

ABC News Blogs New Year Welcomes Oddball State Laws

Many new, unusual state laws will take effect when the ball drops at midnight and millions of Americans ring in the New Year, including one that will limit the number of cats in a household.

Turns out 2013 will be unlucky for cat lovers in Wellington, Kan., where the city will be restricting the number of cats in a household to no more than four.

The law was put in place after 231 cats were sent to animal clinics in 2012, Wellington Police Chief Tracy Heath told the Wellington Daily News.

"Those are cats that go to the animal clinic, they're there for the allotted time and then, unfortunately, they are euthanized," Heath told the newspaper.

Another unusual law taking effect at midnight is Public Act 97-743 in Illinois. This law imposes a fine of $1,000 on anyone who pops a wheelie on a motorcycle while speeding. While this law might upset some motorcyclists, the state is now giving them a free pass to go through red lights.

Motorcycles are often not heavy enough to trigger magnetic sensors at traffic lights to inform them a vehicle has pulled up. Motorcyclists usually have to wait for a car to pull up before the light turns green.

The new bill states that after a "reasonable" amount of time, the motorcycle could pass the red light if the coast is clear. The law doesn't apply to cities where the population exceeds 2 million people.

Illinois is also imposing a law cracking down on those who posses, sell or distribute shark fins. For those that haven't looked at a map lately, Illinois is nowhere near an ocean.

Come 12:01 a.m. in Concord, Mass., plastic bottles will be considered contraband. Concord will be the first town in the nation to outlaw plastic bottles.

As of Jan. 1, it will no longer be illegal to flash your headlights in Florida to warn drivers about a speeding trap set by police.

In California, more than 800 laws are about to take effect, including one that allows driverless vehicles on the road. But a human must be present in the passenger's seat of all computer-driven cars.

As for those Californians who are still driving, you can now whip out your proof of insurance on your smart phone if police pull you over.

"What a wonderful thing if you have your proof of insurance all the time," state resident Mike Dobson said. "Maybe we can have our driver's license on there, you know?"

Those who love deep fryers in North Carolina need to take into consideration that it's a misdemeanor to steal unused cooking oil, according to Torbett's Grease Law. It's a felony if the value of the stolen grease - or the grease plus its container - is worth more than $1,000.

If you want to stay out of trouble in Kentucky, don't release pigs into the wild. The state's growing population of feral pigs has caused officials to slap a fine on any person caught releasing hogs into the wild.

What Does 'Auld Lang Syne' Mean?

Here it is. The answer to a perennial question of what on earth does "Auld Lang Syne" mean?

The confusion over the song is arguably almost as much of a tradition as the song itself. As revelers stumble and mumble through the verses-singing the "auld lang syne" part much louder than the rest of the song because it's really the only part people know-someone always asks what the words mean.

The title of the Scottish tune translates to "times gone by" and is about remembering friends from the past and not letting them be forgotten.

Despite its strong association with New Year's Eve, "Auld Lang Syne," written by Robert Burns in the 1700s, was never intended to be a holiday song. Guy Lombardo is credited with popularizing the song when his band used it as a segue between two radio programs during a live performance at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York in 1929. By coincidence, they played "Auld Lang Syne" just after the clock hit midnight, and a New Year's tradition was born.

The song, and the confusion that comes with it, has been immortalized in countless movies and TV shows.



In "When Harry Met Sally," Billy Crystal's baffled Harry wonders, "What does this song mean? My whole life, I don't know what this song means. I mean, 'Should old acquaintance be forgot?' Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances. Or does it mean that if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot them?"

"Well, maybe it just means that we should remember that we forgot them or something," Sally reasons. "Anyway, it's about old friends."

So as you surround yourself with friends old and new tonight, sing on.

And if you really want to impress people, here are the lyrics to the English translated version of the song you'll probably hear:

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne?

CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne. And surely you'll buy your pint cup and surely I'll buy mine! And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

CHORUS We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine ; But we've wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne.

CHORUS We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine; But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne.

CHORUS And there's a hand my trusty friend ! And give us a hand o' thine ! And we'll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syne.

Obama endorses gay marriage proposal in Illinois

President Obama is endorsing a proposal by the Illinois legislature to legalize gay marriage, a White House spokesman told Reuters on Sunday.

It's an unusual move by a president - most of whom rarely weigh in on state legislative matters. Obama served in the Illinois state senate.

Obama, who said earlier this year that he supports same-sex marriage, believes "it's wrong to prevent couples who are in loving, committed relationships and want to marry, from doing so," said White House spokesman Shin Inouye.

"Were the president still in the Illinois State Legislature, he would support this measure that would treat all Illinois couples equally," Inouye said.

Chicago state Senator Heather Steans will introduce a gay marriage proposal this week, said Rikeesha Phelon, spokeswoman for Illinois Senate President John Cullerton. She added that Democratic leaders are confident they have the votes to win approval - possibly even before the legislature's newly elected Democratic super-majority takes office on January 10.

If it passes, that would make Illinois the tenth state to approve same-sex nuptials.

Passage in President Barack Obama's home state would be a symbolic victory for gay rights activists, particularly after the president endorsed same-sex marriage in May.

One issue to be resolved is whether Illinois should allow religious groups the option of declining to perform same-sex marriages. New York granted such an exception in 2011 in order to secure the legislative votes to legalize gay marriage there.

No Midwest state has approved gay marriage by a vote of its legislature. Iowa's Supreme Court ruled in 2009 that same-sex marriage was legal, a decision some opponents have been trying to overturn ever since.

In June, 2011, Illinois legalized civil unions, which grant some of the rights of marriage to same sex partners. But gay rights activists said that did not go far enough.

All prominent Democrats in Illinois have endorsed gay marriage, including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Governor Pat Quinn, as well as 260 Illinois faith leaders who published a letter supporting same-sex marriage last week.

The Catholic Conference of Illinois, which represents Catholic bishops in the state, said on its website that marriage should be reserved for a man and a woman.

Nine of the 50 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia, have already legalized gay marriage. Another 31 states have passed constitutional amendments banning it.

South Korea to restart one of two troubled reactors this week

South Korea will restart one of two nuclear reactors this week after being shut for nearly two months to replace parts which were found to have forged documents, easing power supply concerns as winter bites, the nuclear regulator and operator said.

The State-run Nuclear Safety & Security Commission said in a statement on Monday that it had approved the restart of a 1,000-megawatt (MW) reactor in Yeonggwang county, 300 km (186 miles) southwest of the capital Seoul.

A spokesman at Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, state-run Korea Electric Power Corp's subsidiary that runs the country's nuclear industry, said the reactor is expected to fully supply power within this week.

South Korea's nuclear sector has been involved in a series of minor incidents and a scandal over forged certificates for parts used in what the government insists are non-essential operations - events that led to the closure of two reactors.

The commission has not yet decided when to approve the restart of the second reactor and is still discussing the issue with local residents, its officials said.

The commission has been investigating all 23 reactors to see if they were supplied with parts with fake quality documents and whether there are any safety concerns.

South Korea, Asia's fourth-largest economy, depends heavily on oil and gas imports but its nuclear reactors supply a third of its power.

Of the 23 reactors, four with a combined 3,680 MW power supply capacity remain closed, according to industry data.

Public support for nuclear power remains strong in South Korea despite last year's Fukushima disaster in Japan last year, and Seoul plans to have added another 11 reactors by 2024.

The government has been campaigning nationwide to save energy and avoid power blackouts in the colder than usual winter.

Somebody Finally Claimed Adam Lanza's Body

Over two weeks after he opened fire on a school full of children, killing 26 people as well as himself, Adam Lanza is heading to his final resting place. On Sunday, in a bulletin bereft of detail, the Connecticut chief medical examiner's office announced that the 20-year-old's body had been claimed for burial. They didn't say who claimed him, where he would be buried, if he would receive a funeral or really anything else about what will happen to the young mass murderer. Similarly, The New York Times came up short in its search for details as "calls and messages to family members and a family spokesman were not immediately returned on Sunday night."

Who knows if we'll find out who wanted to give Lanza a proper burial. Perhaps it was his wealthy father, the man who's been conspicuously absent from coverage of the December 14 shooting and its aftermath. (Evidently, the father and son hadn't spoken in two years.) Maybe it was Adam's brother Ryan, who's consistently found himself in troubling and compromising positions since the tragedy. The family did quietly bury Nancy Lanza, who was murdered by her son Adam, on December 20 in New Hampshire but hasn't said whether or not they planned to collect Adam's body. But somebody did, and now it's over.

In its own way, this is a good thing. Sure, there's the symbolism of Lanza being laid to rest and the community moving forward with its recovery. In a more practical way, though, if nobody had claimed it, the government would've had to pay over $1,500 to dispose of the body.

Japan PM Abe wants to replace landmark war apology: paper

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to replace a landmark 1995 apology for suffering caused in Asia during World War Two with an unspecified "forward-looking statement", a newspaper reported on Monday.

Abe, a hawkish conservative who is known to want to recast Japan's position on its wartime militarism in less apologetic tones, led his party to a landslide victory in a December 16 election.

He outlined his intention to restate Japan's position in an interview with the conservative Sankei newspaper, but he did not give details.

Any hint that Japan is back-tracking from the 1995 apology, issued by then Prime Minister Tomic Murayama, is likely to outrage neighbors, particularly China and North and South Korea, which endured years of brutal Japanese rule.

"The Murayama statement was a statement issued by Socialist Party Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama," Abe was quoted as saying in an interview with the conservative Sankei newspaper published on Monday.

"I want to issue a forward-looking statement that is appropriate for the 21st century," he said.

Abe said he would consult experts about the details and the timing of statement.

He has also said he wants to loosen the constraints of Japan's post-war pacifist constitution.

Abe hails from a wealthy political family that includes a grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, who was a wartime cabinet minister who was imprisoned but never tried as a war criminal after the war. He went on to become prime minister from 1957 to 1960.

First elected to parliament in 1993 after the death of his father, a former foreign minister, Abe rose to national fame by adopting a tough stance toward North Korea in a dispute over Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea decades ago.

More recently, he has promised not to yield in a territorial row with China over tiny islands in the East China Sea - known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China - and boost defense spending to counter China's growing influence. During a first stint as prime minister, which began in September 2006 and lasted a year, Abe pushed through a parliamentary revision of an education law to "restore patriotism" in school curriculums

Psychiatric exam for suspect in NYC subway death

A woman accused of pushing a man to his death in front of a subway train told police she did so because she blamed Muslims for the Sept. 11 attacks, and because "I thought it would be cool," prosecutors said at a court hearing.

Erika Menendez was charged Saturday night with murder as a hate crime after she told police she spontaneously pushed Sunando Sen.

She laughed so hard during her arraignment in Queens criminal court that Judge Gia Morris told her lawyer: "You're going to have to have your client stop laughing."

Defense attorney Dietrich Epperson said Menendez's behavior in court was no different from how she had been acting when he spoke to her privately, and said his client didn't really think the proceedings were funny. He represented her for the arraignment only and had no further comment.

Menendez was held without bail and ordered to have a mental health exam. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 14.

Prosecutors said Menendez pushed Sen, a 46-year-old native of India, to his death Thursday night because she blamed "Muslims, Hindus and Egyptians" for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims — ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers I've been beating them up," Menendez told police, according to the Queens district attorney's office.

Friends and co-workers said Sen, a native of Calcutta, was Hindu. He had lived in Queens for decades and was a graphic designer and copy shop owner. Sen was standing on an elevated platform of the 7 train that travels between Manhattan and Queens when he was shoved from behind as the train entered the station.

Witnesses told police a woman had been mumbling to herself and was sitting on a bench behind Sen until the train pulled in, then shoved him from behind. She then fled.

Police released a sketch and surveillance footage of a woman running from the subway station. Menendez was arrested after a passer-by saw her on the street and thought she looked like the wanted suspect. Witnesses identified her in a lineup and she was questioned by police, when she implicated herself, according to police and prosecutors.

Angel Luis Santiago, who used to work at the Queens building where Menendez's mother and stepfather live, said he was shocked by her arrest.

"It surprised me what she did," he said. "She never acted that way."

According to the district attorney's office, Menendez said, "There is no reason. I just pushed him in front of the train because I thought it would be cool."

Sen was the second man to die after being pushed in front of a New York City subway train this month. Ki-Suck Han was killed in a midtown Manhattan subway station on Dec. 3. A homeless man was arrested and charged with murder in that case and is awaiting trial. He claimed he acted in self-defense.

Such subway deaths are rare, but transit officials said last week they would consider installing barriers with sliding doors on some subway platforms. Other cities including Paris and London have installed such barriers.

Kim Kardashian Pregnant: Her Family Reacts to the Big News

Get ready for yet another Kardashian to keep up with! On Sunday night, Kanye West “announced” that he and Kim Kardashian are expecting a child together when he told the crowd at his Atlantic City concert to “Stop the music and make some noise for my baby mama,” according to a fan on Twitter who was at the show, and then reportedly pointed to his girlfriend in the audience. Although Kim – who is still married to her husband of 72 days, Kris Humphries – has yet to say anything to her nearly 17 million fans on Twitter, her rep did confirm that the reality star is pregnant. This will be the first child for both Kim, 32, and West, 35, who began dating in the spring of 2012.

Of course, the moment West, 35, made the big announcement, Kardashian’s attention-loving family took to Twitter to share their well wishes and blessings to KimYe’s unborn “kash kow.”

Youngest sister Khloe Kardashian, who has struggled to get pregnant with husband Lamar Odom, wrote, “Keeping secrets is hard with so many family members! Especially when you are so freaking excited!!!!! LOVE is everything!!!!”

Oldest sister Kourtney Kardashian, who just gave birth to her second child in July, also gushed, “Been wanting to shout from the rooftops with joy and now I can! Another angel to welcome to our family. Overwhelmed with excitement!”